The laparoscopic surgical technique of thermal ablation has known applications as a minimally-invasive procedure for reducing the volume of diseased tissue masses. In a typical thermal ablation procedure, a probe carrying a thermal energy source is inserted into the targeted tissue mass to a depth where the treatment will be most effective. The tissue is then heated to a temperature at which it coagulates, killing the treated tissue. The probe is removed and the dead tissue is left in place to be resorbed by the affected organ or tissue area. In some treatments, the probe is cooled to a cryogenic temperature to freeze the tissue rather than heat it.
The insertion and proper placement of the probe may become problematic in the treatment of some tissue masses that comprise rubbery and/or calcified tissue, such as fibroid growths of uterine muscular tissue (i.e., myomas). Such tissue masses tend to resist penetration and deflect the movement of the probe. The difficulty of inserting the probe into the tissue mass increases in cases where the laparoscopic opening affords an inconvenient angle of entry for the probe.
Laparoscopic probes in the prior art, including thermal probes, have been made in the form of thin needles, typically about one (1) mm in diameter, such that the probe may be inserted with relatively little resistance from the tissue mass. Unfortunately, these small diameter probes bend easily when inserted into the resisting tissue, resulting in misalignment within the tissue mass and reducing the effectiveness of the thermal ablation treatment. Moreover, straight, needle-like probes that are easily inserted are susceptible to being accidentally displaced during the treatment procedure. Thicker, more rigid probes would be less likely to bend, but, because of their thickness, would be more difficult to insert into a tissue mass than the thinner flexible probes.
There remains a need for a surgical assistance device that aids the surgeon in inserting a laparoscopic probe into a resisting tissue mass. Such a device should allow precise placement of the probe within the tissue mass and resist accidental displacement. It is desirable that the device aid the insertion of relatively thick and rigid probes, in the range of 2-5 mm diameter. The device should be usable for laparoscopic surgery, open surgery, percutaneously or through natural body openings such as the vagina.